Reclaim

Noun | \ri-ˈklām\

Reclaim is the sticky build-up that occurs after vaporizing concentrates in a dab rig. Reclaim, which is typically slightly darker than a dab, is leftover in your dab rig when concentrates re-condense or when your dab gets sucked through your nail into the confines of your rig. In many ways, reclaim is similar to resin — only the residue is on a dab rig instead of a pipe.

He used his leftover reclaim to make a potent batch of edibles.

She knew it was time to clean her dab rig once the reclaim became impossible to ignore.

More About Reclaim

Similar to resin in a pipe, reclaim is the residue that builds up on your dab rig after dabbing concentrate. Reclaim typically has an orange or brown color and, like resin, can have high levels of THC. Massachusetts-based MCR Labs tested four samples of reclaim, and THC levels were found to be between 30% and 60%.

MCR Labs also found that reclaim contains all major cannabinoids, with higher levels of cannabinol (CBN), which is typically associated with increased feelings of sleepiness or drowsiness, than you would typically find in concentrates or flower.

How to Clean a Rig and Collect Reclaim

Reclaim builds up with each dab and can clog your rig, reducing its effectiveness and altering the taste of each dab. Regular cleaning and reclaim collection is necessary if you want to preserve an optimal dabbing experience.

Ideally, your dab rig will have a “drop-down” attachment or adapter. This will trap reclaim in the attachment, making it easier to collect. To remove the reclaim from a drop-down attachment or adapter, heat the area, turn the drop-down upside-down, and allow the reclaim to drip onto a piece of parchment paper or a silicone container.

If your dab rig doesn’t have a drop-down attachment or adapter, not to worry — you can also remove reclaim with ethyl, or grain, alcohol but you will not be able to re-use this reclaim.

Pour out as much water from your dab rig as possible, being careful not to pour out any reclaim, which will have a thick, oily consistency. Allow the alcohol to sit for five (5) to 10 minutes. If you have a significant amount of build up, you can let the alcohol sit a bit longer. Then cover up any holes in your rig and swish/shake the alcohol to dissolve the reclaim. Once the reclaim is dissolved it can be poured into a container and disposed of in the trash. Thoroughly rinse your rig with warm water until there is no residual alcohol. Do not consume any reclaim that comes from cleaning your glass with a solvent such as alcohol.

How to Use Reclaim

Provided your reclaim was not removed from your glass using a solvent such as alcohol, there are a number of ways to use reclaim, including:

Dabbing: Since most of the terpenes evaporate, reclaim won’t retain the same taste profile, but it may retain some of the cannabinoids from the original dab, which means it could still deliver potent psychoactive effects.

Edibles: In the MCR Labs experiment, researchers found that more than 95% of the cannabinoids in reclaim were decarboxylated — making it an easy-to-use addition to any edible recipe. Reclaim is especially popular in chocolate edible recipes since chocolate masks the reclaim’s sometimes unpleasant flavor.

Tinctures and capsules: You can also use reclaim to make cannabis-infused tinctures or capsules.